How to read your electricity bill

The rate needed for an appliance estimate is usually the charge for the electricity you use, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Your bill may also include fixed or other charges, so the total amount due is not always a suitable rate to enter.

Reviewed: 10 October 2026 · Always confirm against your current bill and tariff schedule.

1. Check the account and billing period

Start with the service address, account type and dates covered by the statement. Use the supply address shown on the bill when looking up a municipal tariff. The municipality you live in and the organisation that bills you may not always be the same as the electricity supplier named on a tariff schedule.

Look for the opening and closing meter readings or the billed consumption in kWh. If the statement covers an unusual number of days, keep that in mind when comparing it with another month.

2. Find the energy or consumption charge

Look for a line described as energy, electricity, consumption or units. The exact wording varies. This charge is tied to the amount of energy used and is the closest match for the calculator’s rate field.

• R/kWh means rands per kilowatt-hour. For example, R3.25/kWh is three rand and twenty-five cents for each kWh at that rate.
• c/kWh means cents per kilowatt-hour. Divide the number of cents by 100 to convert it to rands. For example, 325 c/kWh equals R3.25/kWh.
• c/kW is a different unit: cents per kilowatt of power. It is not the same as a per-kWh energy rate, so do not enter it as one.

3. Check whether one rate applies

Some tariffs use one energy rate; others vary by usage block, time of use, season or tariff option. If the bill shows multiple energy rates, a single-rate estimate will not reproduce the bill exactly. For a rough average, divide the energy-charge amount by the billed kWh, using the energy portion only.

A tariff schedule or bill may also show service, network, administration, demand or capacity charges. These are not all priced per kWh. The calculator estimates appliance energy costs and does not add these other line items.

4. Check VAT and other amounts

Check whether the rate in the schedule is shown inclusive or exclusive of VAT, and compare like with like. A bill total can include fixed charges, arrears, adjustments, levies or other items. Dividing the entire amount due by kWh can therefore overstate the energy rate for an appliance estimate.

Quick checklist

1. Match the supply address and customer category.
2. Use the kWh energy or consumption charge, not the bill total.
3. Check the unit: convert c/kWh to R/kWh by dividing by 100.
4. Check whether the rate varies by block or time, and whether VAT is included.
5. Use the current official tariff schedule if you need to confirm a published rate.

Official references

Use the relevant supplier’s current tariff schedule for the final rate and conditions:

• Eskom Distribution tariffs and charges
• City of Cape Town electricity costs
• City of Johannesburg tariff documents

This guide explains how to interpret common bill information. It is not a bill audit; your supplier’s current documents and your own account determine the charges that apply.